The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England WitchesMather, Cotton
History
The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England -- Early works to 1800
_VIII._ As for _Susan Chandler_, her Mother Testified, That being at the
search of _Rose Cullender_, they found on her Belly a thing like a Teat,
of an Inch long; which the _said Rose_ ascribed to a strain. But near
her Privy-parts, they found Three more, that were smaller than the
former. At the end of the long Teat, there was a little Hole, which
appeared, as if newly Sucked; and upon straining it, a white Milky
matter issued out. The Deponent further said, That her Daughter being
one Day concerned at _Rose Cullenders_ taking her by the Hand, she fell
very sick, and at Night cry'd out, _That +Rose Cullender+ would come to
Bed unto her._ Her Fits grew violent, and in the Intervals of them, she
declared, _That she saw +Rose Cullender+ in them, and once having of a
great Dog with her._ She also Vomited up Crooked Pins; and when she was
brought into Court, she fell into her Fits. She Recovered her self in
some Time, and was asked by the Court, whether she was in a Condition to
take an Oath, and give Evidence. She said, she could; but having been
Sworn, she fell into her Fits again, and, _Burn her! Burn her!_ were all
the words that she could obtain power to speak. Her Father likewise gave
the same Testimony with her Mother; as to all but the Search.
_IX._ Here was the Sum of the Evidence: Which Mr. Serjeant _Keeling_,
thought not sufficient to Convict the Prisoners. For admitting the
Children were Bewitched, yet, said he, it can never be Apply'd unto the
Prisoners, upon the Imagination only of the Parties Afflicted; inasmuch
as no person whatsoever could then be in Safety.
Dr. _Brown_, a very Learned Person then present, gave his Opinion, that
these Persons were Bewitched. He added, That in _Denmark_, there had
been lately a great Discovery of Witches; who used the very same way of
Afflicting people, by Conveying Pins and Nails into them. His Opinion
was, that the Devil in Witchcrafts, did Work upon the Bodies of Men and
Women, upon a _Natural Foundation_; and that he did Extraordinarily
afflict them, with such Distempers as their Bodies were most subject
unto.
_X._ The Experiment about the _Usefulness_, yea, or _Lawfulness_ whereof
Good Men have sometimes disputed, was divers Times made, That tho' the
Afflicted were utterly deprived of all sense in their Fits, yet upon the
_Touch_ of the Accused, they would so screech out, and fly up, as not
upon any other persons. And yet it was also found that once upon the
touch of an innocent person, the like effect follow'd, which put the
whole Court unto a stand: altho' a small Reason was at length attempted
to be given for it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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